Container



Oct. 13, 1936. J. E. BAECHLE CONTAINER Filed Dec. 29, 1935 sisi,...

l//NTOR Yarn M ATTOR YS Patented 0c t.`" 13, 1936 CONTAINER James E. Baechle, River Forrest, Ill., assigner to American Can Company, New York, N. YJ corporation of New Jersey Application December 29, 1933, Serial No. 704,581

5Clalms.

The present invention relates to metallic containers or cans having screw lock covers and has particular reference to a body curl and cover locking key construction for such containers or cans.

The invention furthermore contemplates the addition of a frangible seal to a body clnl and cover locking key construction so that the original seal for the can may be made by a franglble disc protected by the lock cover, this cover being a secondary seal at such time and becoming a reclosure member after fracture of the frangible disc.

An object of the invention is the provision of a can having the upper edge of its body formed as a locking curl which cooperates with a formed cover member part to effect a lock Joint cover for the can.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an interlocking can and cover having a frangible seal embodied in the can and protected by the cover, this seal being adapted for cutting out to open the can Without affecting the interlocking relation of can and cover.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a can of the character described having a body curl engagement for a lock cover, the curl being also utilized for the locking engagement with the cover.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a can and screw locking cover embodying the present lnvention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the cover of such a can;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the can with the cover removed and showing a fra-ngible seal disposed in the end of the can;-

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail taken at a position relative to the can as indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 3 and showing in addition a lock cover partially inserted into the can above its frangible seal;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but taken a a position on the can which is indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 3, the cover in this view being fully inserted and locked in position; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail of the can and cover in locked position, the section being taken through one of the locking keys as indicated by the line 6--6 in Fig. 5.

(c1. zzo-p40) In the drawing there is disclosed as a preferred embodiment of the invention a cylindrical can body II having a closed bottom end I2 secured thereto in any suitable manner as byja double seam. The body II is formed with an inwardly projecting bead I3 adjacent its upper open end and above the bead the body wall extends up and terminates in an inwardly curled edge Il A frangible disc I5 may be used to provide a primary seal for the open end of the can and is preferably formed with an upwardly extending cylindrical ilange wall I6. The disc I5 is tightly secured to the can body and when fully inserted and secured in place rests upon the bead I3 with its ilange wall I6 engaging within the upper part of the body wall.

The upper edge of the disc ange I6 extends inside of the body curl I4 and the terminal edge of the curl (indicated by the numeral I1) is embedded in the frangible disc ange I6 as `illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. This holds the frangible disc in secure position within the can. The body curl I 4 (Figs. 3 and 4) is interrupted at intervals and is flattened into the cross-section shape illustrated in Fig. '4. where it will be observed the circular cross section of the curl I4 is supplanted by a rectangular bend section I8. This construction provides a vertical passage I9 extending through the curl I4, the drawing illustrating four of these passages.

A lock cover 2|` is provided for closing the upper end of the can and for protecting the frangible seal I 5. This lock cover is formed with a domed top wall 22 which terminates in an overhanging hand grip section 23 that merges in a curved annular wall 24 (Fig. 5) joined to the upper end of a cylindrical wall 26.

The wall 26 is slightly less in diameter than the inside diameter of the curl I4 and so slips easily into the top of the body when the cover 2I is put on the can. In this application of the cover to the can, the overhanging section 23 provides a convenient hand. grip for easy handling of the cover.

The cover wall 26 is pressed outat intervals to provide inclined interrupted threads or locking keys 21, one end of each key being turned down in a lug 28 and its opposite end turned up in a lug 29. The total width of each locking key 21 is slightly less than the width of the passage I9 formed in the flattened part of the curl Il and when the cover is applied to the can each locking lug 21passes freely through its passage I9 during the vertical movement of the cover wall 26 inside of the body curl I4. Fig. 4 illustrates the cover 2| in partially inserted position, this view also showing the location of a locking key 21 relative to its associated curl passage I9.

When in completely inserted position (Figs. 5 and 6) the inclined body portion of each locking key 21 is below the body curl I l. From this inserted position the cover is then locked on the can by relative rotation between can and cover. As such rotation takes place each inclined thread locking key 21 rides under the adjacent edge of the curl Il Vat the passage I9 and the wedging action provided by this movement pulls the annular grooved wall 24 of the cover down into close locking engagement on top of the body curl I4.

The upper lugs 29 of the locking keys 21 strike against edges or shoulders 3| (Figs. 3 and 5) of the curl I4 and act as stop elements limiting the amount of rotation of the cover. These edges BI may be formed by slitting the curl when the attened sections I8 are produced or the flattened sections may be merely bent sharply enough to vprovide the edges or shoulders ll.

A can such as the one illustrated in the drawing is preferably lled through its bottom end prior to the application of the bottom onto the body and at such a time the frangible disc I5 is in its fixed position on the other or top end of the can body and the lock cover 2I is also locked in position and protects the disc.

'I'he frictional engagement of the thread locking keys 21 with and beneathA the curl Il, when the cover is applied, causes the free end of the curl to bite into the flange I6 of the frangible disc I5. thereby augmenting the secure attachment of the latter to the can body walls during initial filling and assembly of the parts.

When the sealed and filled can is to be opened the lock cover need only be rotated back relative to the can body and lifted vertically from its assembled position. This exposes the frangible disc I5 which may then be cut out by a knife or other sharp instrument to open the can.. After the disc I 5 has been broken the lock cover 2| may be used as a reclosure and this then provides a secondary seal for the can when applied and locked in place.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A sealed container, comprising a cylindrical body having a continuous inwardly curled edge at one end, said curled edge being attened at intervals to provide vertically extending passages, and a lock cover having a vertical cylindrical wall adapted to enter into the curled end of said body when said cover is applied to close the container, said cover wall being pressed out at intervals to form inclined locking keys which engageable with the curl at one end of each .of

aosaesv said passages to limit relative rotation between the container and cover.

2. A sealed container. comprising a cylindrical body having an open end, a frangible sealing disc located inside of the open end of said body and closing the same, the upper edge of said body terminating in a continuous inwardly extending curl the free edge thereof providing a holding engagement with the outer edge of said'disc, said curled edge also being interiorly flattened at intervals to provide vertically extending passages, and a lock reclosure cover having a vertical cylindrical wall adapted to pass inside of the said body curlwhen the cover is applied to the con-f tainer, said cover wall having locking keys located at spaced intervals and on the outside of the wall-which are adapted to pass through the said passages of said curled body edge during the application of the cover, said keys extending below said body edge curl and engaging under it when the cover is fully seated and turned relative to the body, thereby drawing the cover into close engagement with the top of said body curl, the pressure of said cover keys on said bodycurl forcing the free edge of the latter` into tight holding engagement with the outer edge of said frangible sealing disc.

3. A sealed container, comprising acylindrical body having an open end, a frangible sealing disc located inside of the open end of said body and having its edge turned up in a cylindrical flange which tightly engages the wall of said body closing the open body end, the upper edge of said body terminating in a continuous inwardly extending curl the free edge thereof providing a holding engagement with the flange of said disc, said curled edge also being interiorly ilattened at intervals to provide vertically extending passages, and a lock reclosure cover having a vertical cylindrical wall adapted to pass inside c. the said body curl when the cover is applied to the container, said cover wall having inclined locking keys located at spaced intervals and on the outside of the wall, said keys terminating at their upper ends in upstanding stop elements and being adapted to pass through the said passages of said curled body edge during the application of the cover, said keys extending below the said body edge curl and engaging under it when the cover is fully seated and turned on the body, the said key stop elements engaging against the end walls of the body curl portions and limiting relative rotation of said cover and body, the pressure ot said cover keys on said body curl forcing the free edge of the latter into tight holding engagement with the outer edge o! said fransible sealing disc.

4. A sealed container, comprising a cylindrical body having a continuous inwardly curled edge at one end, said curled edge being flattened at intervals to provide vertically extending passages partially defined by a reenforcing wall of double thickness, and a lock cover of thin sheet material having an overhanging top merging into a vertical cylindrical wall smaller in diameter than the inside diameter of said body curl, said cover wall being adapted to enter into the curled end of said body when said cover is applied to close the container, said cover wall being pressed out at intervals to form locking keys which pass through the said p of said curled body edge during vertical movement of said cover as it is applied to the body. the said keys being adapted to engage under adjacent curl body sections vupon, relative rotation between body and cover to draw the said cover top down on said body curl and to thereby lock the cover in closing position, said overhanging top of the cover projecting over and beyond said curled edge of the body to provide a hand hold for conveniently manipulating the cover.

5. A sealed container, comprising a cylindrical body having an internal bead formed adjacent an open end, a frangible sealing disc located inside of the open end of saidvbody and resting upon said body bead, the upper edge of said body having a continuous curl to provide a holding engagement with the outer edge of said disc, said curled edge also being interiorly flattened at intervals to provide vertically extending passages through said curl, and a lock reclosure cover having a vertical cylindrical Wall pressed outwardly at intervals to provide inclined interrupted thread locking' keys, each key having a total width less than the width of a said curl passage, said locking keys being adapted to pass through the said passages of said curled body edge during the application of the cover to the container, relative rotation of the inserted cover and body thereupon bringing the said inclined thread keys beneath said body curl with a Wedging action to draw said cover into locking position on said body and over said frangible sealing disc, the pressure of said cover keys on said body curl forcing the .free edge of the latter into tight holding engagement with the outer edge of said frangible sealing disc.

JAMES E. BAECHLE. 

